Pocket blank forming machine

ABSTRACT

An automatic pocket blank sewing machine has been provided which automatically separates and feeds a single pocket blank ply, a single facing patch ply, mates these two, sews, removes the sewn workpiece for folding the facing patch to hide its stitch line, folds the longitudinal edge seams (for subsequent sewing), folds the pocket blank ply to form a pocket pouch and then removes and stacks the folded pocket blank pouch.

United States Patent [72] inventor Aubrey G. Beazley El Paso, Tex. [2l] Appl. No. 5,809 [22] Filed Jan. 26, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. l2, 1971 [73] Assignee F arah Manufacturing Company, Inc.

El Paso, Tex.

[54] POCKET BLANK FORMING MACHINE 16 Claims, 60 Drawing Figs.

[52| U.S. C1 H2/121.29, i12/121.11, 270/53, 270/58 [51 l Int. (Il D051 33/00 [S01 Field of Search ..1 12/121.29, 121.11, 121.12, 121.14, 121.15,10,262, 147; 270/37, 32, 52, 53, 58, 59; 223/37 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 693,045 2/1902 Millhiserr et al. l 1712/10 2,053,257 9/1936 Anderson l 12/2 2,313,433 3/1943 Golden 112/104 2,666,638 1/1954 Taylor 270/53 3,083,961 4/1963 Arbter 112/2 UX 3,099,970 8/1963 Hite..... i12/121.14 3,335,682 8/1967 Tucci 112/12 1.15 3,371,924 3/1968 Nelson etal. 270/58 3,498,244 3/1970 Blanchette l 12/104 X 3,511,494 5/1970 Szentkuti 1 12/2 3,531,107 9/1970 Rovin et al 270/58 X Primary Examiner-J ames R. Boler Attorney-Curtis, Morris & Safford ABSTRACT: An automatic pocket blank sewing machine has been provided which automatically separates and feeds a single pocket blank ply, a single facing patch ply, mates these two, sews, removes the sewn workpiece for folding the facing patch to hide its stitch line, folds the longitudinal edge seams (for subsequent sewing), folds the pocket blank ply to form a pocket pouch and then removes and stacks the folded pocket blank pouch.

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1. A machine for automatically forming a pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon, comprising: means for separating a single facing patch ply from a stack of plies including means for conveying said single ply to a single facing-patch-ply-holding means; means for separating a single ply of a pocket blank material from a stack of pocket blank plies including means for conveying said single ply to a means for positioning said pocket blank ply for a placement of said facing patch thereon; means for placing said facing patch ply on said pocket blank ply; means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply, said means including means for clamping said facing patch to said pocket blank ply, said means for sewing being operatively interrelated to said facing-patch-separating means, pocketblank-ply-separating means, and means for placing said facing patch on said pocket blank material; means for removing said pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon, including means operatively interconnected with said sewing machine to activate said means for removing said pocket blank; means for returning said sewing means to a ''''start-sew'''' position, including means for activating means for separating said single facing patch and means for activating means for separating said single ply of a pocket blank material; means for automatically folding and pressing said facing patch after the sewing thereof to said pocket blank ply; means for automatically forming and pressing longitudinal edge seams on said pocket blank material after the folding and pressing of said facing patch; means for automatically folding said pocket blank to form a pocket pouch after the forming and pressing of the longitudinal seams thereof; and means for automatically removing and stacking said pocket pouch.
 2. A machine for automatically forming a pocket blAnk with a facing patch sewn thereon, comprising: means for separating a single facing patch ply from a stack of plies operatively responsive to a control means for a sewing means; means for separating a single ply of a pocket blank material from a stack of pocket blank plies operatively responsive to a control means for said sewing means; means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank material including said control means; means for sequenced conveying in a predetermined order said single ply of pocket blank to said means for sewing said facing patch to said single ply of pocket blank material, said sequenced conveying being responsive to said control means for said means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank; means for sequenced conveying said facing patch in a predetermined order, said sequenced conveying being responsive to a signal from said control means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply; means for mating said facing patch to said pocket blank in a position on said pocket blank, including means for properly aligning said facing patch prior to mating the same to said pocket blank; means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply including clamp foot means for capturing said pocket ply and facing patch in a properly aligned position, said means for sewing including: means for forming a definite length of stitch line on said facing patch; control means for said means for sewing including means for initiating a separation of a new facing patch and pocket blank ply; means for disengaging a pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon from said sewing means; means for returning a clamp foot to a ''''start-sew'''' position after a completion of sewing of said facing patch to said pocket blank, including means for disengaging said means for forming a definite length of stitch line; means for removing said pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon from said sewing means, including means for positioning for a next work station said pocket blank ply and means for positioning said means for removing said pocket blank for a next pocket blank removing cycle; means for folding and pressing said facing patch to hide said stitch line including means for holding in place said pocket blank while the means for folding and the pressing are acting on said pocket blank and means for removing pocket blank with a folded and pressed facing patch including means for automatically feeding from said removing said pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon; means for forming, folding and pressing a seam along longitudinal edges of said pocket blank, including: means for detecting the arrival and arresting a movement on an automatic conveying means of said pocket blank; means for forming seams of predetermined width including forming die means for defining an extent of a seam material to be folded and whereby said forming die means are movable upwardly, downwardly, outwardly and inwardly; means for upturning and folding said seams of predetermined width, said means including folding die means whereby the same are movable upwardly, inwardly, downwardly, upwardly, outwardly, and downwardly in reference to said pocket blank; means for coordinating said upturning and folding means with said forming means; means for engaging and disengaging said folding means with said folded seam and heated press means; means for removing from said pressing means said pocket blank including means for automatically conveying said pocket blank to a next work station; means for folding and pressing the pocket blank ply for forming a pocket blank pouch including means for arresting a movement of said pocket blank on an automatic conveying means and means for positioning said pocket blank for folding and pressing; means to remove and convey away said folded pocket blank from said means for folding and pressing said pocket blank and means for stacking Said folded pocket blank on a belt conveyor including means for detecting the arrival of said folded pocket blank and means for slowing down an arriving and folded pocket blank.
 3. The machine for forming a pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon according to claim 2 and wherein said means for separating a single ply of a pocket blank material from a stack of pocket blank plies comprises: a table holding a stack of said plies, a rack supporting said table and attached thereto upwardly and downwardly urged by a drive means a guide means for said rack; an adhesive tape; an adhesive tape supply and takeup means including means for incrementally advancing said tape; means for engaging a topmost ply on said table holding said pocket blank plies with said adhesive tape upon an upward urging of said table; a drive means for rotating said adhesive tape supply and takeup means with pocket blank ply attached to said adhesive tape, said pocket blank ply being attached to said adhesive tape for part of a peripheral rotational distance of said tape during each revolution of said adhesive tape supply and takeup means; means for adding the separation of the topmost ply of the stack by injecting air between the topmost ply and the next ply, including first separation means disposed longitudinally in reference to said pocket blank ply, and second separation means disposed transversely in reference to said pocket blank ply, said means for aiding being operatively interconnected and timed in reference to a rotational period of said adhesive tape supply and takeup means with an adhesively attached ply; means for removing said pocket blank ply from said adhesive-tape-including means for conveying said pocket blank away from said removing means.
 4. The machine according to claim 3 and wherein the table holding said stack of plies is operatively interconnected to a stack-height-detecting means activating said drive means.
 5. The machine according to claim 3 and wherein means are provided for smoothing an adhesively attached ply including means for directing an airstream to an exterior surface of said ply said means for directing an airstream being operationally interconnected with the adhesive tape supply and takeup means and its rotational period.
 6. The machine according to claim 3 and wherein the means for incrementally advancing said tape is operatively interconnected to the means for rotating said adhesive tape supply and takeup means; whereby means for driving said adhesive tape takeup means are driven by a normally stationary worm as drive means for said takeup means and include means for reducing a rotational rate of drive imparted by said worm to said takeup means.
 7. The machine according to claim 6 and wherein the normally stationary worm include means for driving said worm rotationally whereby said adhesive tape is driven without rotationally driving said means for adhesive supply takeup means when transferring said pocket blank ply.
 8. The machine according to claim 3 and wherein the means for removing said pocket blank ply from said adhesive tape are operatively interconnected in a predetermined reference to said drive means for rotating said adhesive tape with respect to rotational period of said means for rotating said adhesive tape supply and takeup means.
 9. The machine according to claim 2 wherein said means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply and means for return of said clamp foot include rack means and transmission means engaged with a base gear of a sewing machine, said transmission means being operatively interconnected with said base gear and said rack means of said sewing machine during a sewing of the facing patch to said pocket blank, and wherein the rack means and transmission means include means for operatively disengaging said base gear from said rack means during the return of said clamp foot to its ''''start-sew'''' position.
 10. The machine according to claim 2 and wherein Said means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply include table means permanently engaged with said rack means and means for guiding said clamp foot during sewing and return of said clamp foot and table means to a ''''start-sew'''' position.
 11. The machine according to claim 2 and wherein the means for sewing said facing patch to said pocket blank ply include means for guiding said clamp foot by means fixedly attached to a sewing machine including means fixedly attached to a sewing machine for engaging and disengaging said clamp foot with said facing patch and said pocket blank ply which means cooperate with said means for guiding said clamp foot.
 12. The machine according to claim 2 wherein the means for folding said facing patch include an airstream as means for turning said facing patch, operatively interconnected with means for holding said patch against said means for pressing whereby said means for holding said patch for pressing operates as means for urging forwardly for folding said facing patch prior to pressing.
 13. The machine according to claim 10 wherein the means for holding said patch for pressing is also a heated means for pressing.
 14. The machine according to claim 2 and wherein the means for forming, folding and pressing a seam along the longitudinal edges of said blank during a folding and pressing cycle are operationally interconnected whereby said means for upturning and folding said seams are in a predetermined operational sequence with means for engaging and disengaging said folding means with said heated press means.
 15. The machine according to claim 14 wherein the means for engaging said folding means, with said press means operatively activate means for restraining, arresting and removing said pocket blank ply from said means for forming, folding and pressing said pocket blank ply and means for returning said forming and folding means to a reset position.
 16. The machine for forming a pocket blank with a facing patch sewn thereon according to claim 2 and wherein the means for folding and pressing the pocket blank for forming a pocket blank pouch include means for detecting an arrival of leading edge of said pocket blank, a forward and rearward means for arresting a forward motion of said pocket blank, operatively associated with said means for detecting the leading edge of said pocket blank; means for securing by vacuum suction said pocket blank in a folding position, said means being operatively interconnected with means for disengaging said rearward arresting means; means for folding a rearward portion of pocket blank onto the pocket blank pouch; means for securing said pocket blank in a pressing position including means for holding said folding means against a heated press action; means for resetting said folding and means for holding the folding means against the heated press section, including means for removing a pressed pocket pouch from said folding and pressing means operatively interconnected to means for disengaging said means for holding the folding means against the heated press section. 